AO Principles are described today as follows: * appropriate reduction * appropriate stabilization * preservation of vascularity * painless early mobilization These requirements can all be met by intramedullary osteosynthesis for suitable indications. The modern generation of nails is highly user-friendly and application of the systems is very safe. Outcome predictions favor reamed locked nailin...

This article introduces a novel technique to vent the femur and potentially decrease the embolic load created by reaming during intramedullary rod fixation of impending pathologic femur fractures. We used readily available operating room equipment to create a distal femoral vent hole without interfering with standard intramedullary instrumentation and with minimal increase in surgical time. Thi...

Insufficiency fractures secondary to prolonged alendronate use is due to inhibition of osteoclastic activity and suppressed bone turnover. Complications of fracture fixation include non-union, mal-union, and difficulty in intramedullary nail insertion. We report a technical challenge in intramedullary nailing of an obliterated femoral canal in a patient on long-term bisphosphonate treatment. Th...

Gerhard Kuntscher [1] first recognized that placing larger intramedullary devices enhanced the healing of long bone fractures. By the mid-1950’s he had adopted motorized reaming as a standard part of his technique. However, he also recognized that intramedullary fat could be a source of potentially fatal embolus if introduced systemically. To avoid this complication, he recommended over sizing ...

The effect of different methods of preparation of glenoid bone on displacement and deformation of a glenoid component under eccentric loading was investigated in a series of scapulae of cadavera. Handburring of the osseous surface was associated with less displacement and deformation than simple removal of cartilage with a curet. Reaming resulted in the least displacement and deformation. Subst...